MLB Rumors: 5 teams Yasiel Puig could restart his career with
1. Oakland Athletics
This one easily makes the most sense when all things are considered. Underneath Billy Beane’s watch, the Oakland A’s have become baseball’s holding position for many a player. It is the Betty Ford clinic for players that are either reestablishing or setting up their stock, before being represented to the baseball world as a whole as a newly minted product, ready to be shipped out for a stockpile of products.
In that regard, Puig represents the perfect Athletic: a player who’s stock has bottomed out for the time being, but very clearly still possesses all of the tools needed to make him an All-Star again in short order. A relocation to Oakland would serve as a startling wakeup call for the 25 year old Puig, as it is a far cry from the spotlight that Los Angeles affords, as well as from being surrounded by the expectations it brings too. Puig would be surrounded by his contemporaries, and would have to play at maximum effort to fuel the next wave of temporary Athletics competitive renaissance.
This is a match made in heaven: the Athletics would get a middle of the lineup bat, as well as a firm everyday presence in right field. He would be the most talented outfielder the team has possessed since his countryman, Yoenis Cespedes.
Likewise, Puig would get a place to just play and be able to go after it with the type of reckless abandon that seems to make him most comfortable. It is a place to smooth off the rough edges and see what type of player he can be with focus.
And at some point in 2019, Beane could spin him back to an interested team in the pennant chase for a handful of what would be the their best future assets, as well as carry the moniker of being the ‘man that was able to re-ignite Puig’, which could be a feat worthy of yet another Disney film dedicated towards his legendary front office exploits.